A user of the Internet typically accesses and uses the Internet by establishing a network connection through the services of an Internet Service Provider (ISP). An ISP provides computer users with the ability to establish a connection to a remote computer owned or managed by the ISP. This remote computer then makes services available to the users Internet access device. These services include the retrieval and display of WEB pages and electronic documents on the users Internet access device. Electronic documents on the World-Wide-Web are typically stored in files that include text, hypertext, references to graphics, animation, audio, video and other electronic data. The structure of hypertext documents is defined by document markup languages such as Standard Generalized Markup Language (“SGML”), Hyper Text Markup Language (“HTML”), Compact Hyper Text Markup Language, eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”), Virtual Reality Markup Language (“VRML”), Voice eXtensible Markup Language, (“VoxML”) and others.
As is known in the art, a hypertext document includes markup codes called “tags”. Tags define the structure of a hypertext document and typically include at least a “begin” tag name enclosed by a delimiter and, in many instances, an “end” tag name enclosed by a delimiter. For example, the markup tag “<H1>” signifies the beginning of a Hyper Text Markup Language first level header, and the markup tag “</H1>” signifies the end of a Hyper Text Markup Language first level header. However, the Hyper Text Markup Language image tag “<IMG . . . >” ends with the closing tag delimiter “>” and does not use an end tag in the format “</IMG>”. Other markup languages have similar tags used to create hypertext documents.
Markup languages allow references to additional content besides text including graphics, animation, audio, video and other electronic data. For example, the Hyper Text Markup Language allows use of graphical images in a hypertext document with an image “<IMG>” tag. An exemplary Hyper Text Markup Language image tab <IMG SRC=“logo.jpg”> allows a graphical logo image stored in a Joint Pictures Expert Group file “logo.jpg”, to be displayed.
Hypertext documents from the World-Wide-Web are typically displayed for a user with a software application called a “browser” such as Internet Explorer, by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond Wash., Netscape Navigator, by Netscape Communications of Mountain View, Calif., and others. A browser typically parses a hypertext document and converts hypertext, including markup tags, into a visual display of text, graphics, animation, audio, video, etc., for display on a device such as a personal computer display.
Additional content is retrieved in a hypertext document from other sources using “hyperlink” references within hypertext documents. For example, an exemplary Hyper Text Markup Language hyperlink tag “<A HREF=“http://www.spyglass.com/logo.mov”>” provides a hyperlink to a movie file “logo.mov”. When a user selects the link (e.g., with a mouse click) in a hypertext document, the movie file “logo.mov” is located using a Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”) from the location “www.spyglass.com”. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (e.g., “HTTP”) is used as the transfer protocol.
Transfer protocols such as Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”), File Transfer Protocol (“FTP”), Gopher, and others provide a means for transferring hypertext documents or additional content from other locations on the World-Wide-Web. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol is one primary protocol used to transfer information on the World-Wide-Web. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol is a protocol that allows users to connect to a server, make a hypertext request, get a response, and then disconnect from the server.
File Transfer protocol is a protocol that provides access to files on remote systems. Using File Transfer Protocol, a user logs onto a system, searches a directory structure and downloads or uploads a file. Gopher is a protocol similar to File Transfer Protocol. Gopher provides a series of menus linked to files containing actual hypertext.
Wireless devices, such as wireless phones, now have data capabilities in addition to voice capabilities. The data capabilities allow a wireless device to receive an electronic document from the World-Wide-Web. To optimize performance, and to provide an electronic document in a format useable on wireless devices, a Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”) is typically used. The Wireless Application Protocol includes several protocols and standards designed to provide wireless devices with access to an electronic document and was developed as an alternative to other markup languages and protocols developed for the World-Wide-Web. More information on the Wireless Application Protocol can be found on the World-Wide-Web at the URL “http://www.wapforum.org”.
One component of the Wireless Application Protocol is a Wireless Markup Language (“WML”), which includes markup tags, and provides control over formatting and layout of an electronic document. The Wireless Markup Language is often more appropriate to use for wireless devices such as wireless phones than other markup languages such as Hyper Text markup Language.
Wireless Markup Language data is structured as a collection of “cards”. A single collection of cards is referred to as a “deck”. Each card includes structured content and navigation specifications. Logically, a user of a wireless device navigates through a series of cards, reviews the content of each card, enters requested information, selects options, and navigates to and from other cards in the deck.
Current Internet applications that provide information in HTML or WML form do not provide uniform user preferences as to linking of information. Users do not have a choice of options to force usability over different kinds of applications and extend the information in a way specific to the user. In some instances, excess user interaction is required in order to obtain information or obtain a service related to text in an HTML or WML document. For example, in order to translate a word in a document, a separate application must usually be involved.